I Won't Say I'm in Love
by happychica
Summary: Sometimes, love needs a helping hand...or four. Royai, with some of our fav. guys thrown in cuz I can.


Disclaimer: So…yeah, I don't own it. I don't own FMA, and I sure don't own Mustang or Hawkeye (or anyone else in here).

A/N: Got the idea from listening to the songs _Take Me or Leave Me_ from _Rent_ and _I Won't Say I'm in Love_ from _Hercules_. NOT a song fic, just song inspired. Oh yeah, beginning kinds D.C. inspired.

_**I have officially un-killed Maes Hughes!!!!!**_

"Seriously Riza, just go for it. Sometimes it's all you can do." Sheska drained her mug, pleased with her little speech. Across from her, lieutenant Hawkeye had yet to touch hers. "It's good stuff, you know."

"Sheska-"

"Come on, at least taste it. I know usually guys drink it, but you can only hang out with them so long before-"

"Sheska, don't change the subject!" the private eyed her companion, worrying her bottom lip gently. "If you're going to bring this up, at least have the guts you need to finish your defense."

"Riza, I'm not the guts you need to worry about. You've got it bad, sweetie; just own up already!"

"I can't."

"Girl," abandoning her now-empty mug, Sheska reached across the table, taking the lieutenant's hands in her own. "_Everyone_ knows you like the colonel; _everyone_. No one's ever said anything because no one really cares. Hell, lieutenant colonel Hughes would go out of his way to help, you know that."

"I know-"

"So problem solved. Monday, you're telling him."

Sighing, Riza picked her own mug as her companion ordered two more. She'd always hated Mondays.

-

"I don't know Maes, it seems pretty risky."

"Roy, caution isn't one of your better qualities."

"What? I though that was my best one!" Maes laughed at his friend's mock outrage as the colonel continued to look shocked.

"I just mean that you've always just gone for things, whatever they may be. And Hawkeye's no hag; some guy's gonna snatch her up and you'd be a fool to let that happen."

"I know," sighed Roy, attention drifting to the glass he was playing with. "She's amazing…" Maes sighed at his friend. At this rate, neither of them would ever make a move, and he couldn't spend the rest of him life with this soap opera going on down the hall, he just couldn't!

"So here's an idea: why don't you tell her?"

"What!" Roy's gaze snapped to Maes' face so fast, the lieutenant colonel feared whiplash.

"Monday, tell her, something, anything. You don't have to get on your knees or anything, just…let her know…you know?"

"Fine," Roy sighed. There just wasn't any arguing with Hughes when he set his mind to something.

"Hey, don't sound so down. This could be a great thing!" Cuffing his friend affectionately round the head, Maes cheered silently. _Hook, line, and sinker._

_-_

Monday dawned bright and early, too early for a certain lieutenant. Riza Hawkeye could honestly say she'd never been so nervous in her life, and Riza'd been through some nerve-wracking times.

Staring at herself in the mirror, it occurred to the lieutenant that she'd never really cared before about her appearance. At least, not beyond the military efficiency required of her status. It really was troublesome having to care about someone else's opinion. Sighing, the woman finished clipping up her hair and collected what she'd need for the day, dread curdling angrily in her stomach.

-

When Riza arrived, Roy almost leapt for joy. He'd spent the entire weekend pumping himself up for this and he really didn't think he'd be able to do so again. So as the minutes ticked by, the colonel had grown increasingly frustrated. She wasn't late, she never was, but Roy had wanted to finish before the others arrived. Sadly, not only was Riza not the first one to arrive, but 2nd Lieutenant Jean Havoc had shown up not ten minutes later then Roy. Havoc was the _last _person Roy wanted to witness this, especially if Hughes was wrong._ But he's never wrong._

Sighing, the colonel pushed the matter from his mind, deciding to wait until lunch. He _wouldn't_ do this in front of his subordinates, Riza deserved better. And, you know, a few more minutes couldn't hurt, right?

-

_Hughes was right._ The morning had ticked by and soon the group broke for lunch. Roy held back, letting the others file out of the room. Nearly ten minutes passed before lieutenant Hawkeye reentered, carrying both their lunches. Setting them on the colonel's desk, Riza pulled a chair up across from her superior and began to eat. An air of distraction caused an uneasy silence between the two, grating effortlessly on Roy's nerves. Finally the lack of noise got to the alchemist and he opened his mouth to speak.

"Havoc asked me out tonight."

Roy paused, min whipped clean by what he'd just heard. "What?"

"2nd lieutenant Havoc asked me out. I was…wondering what you thought." Riza looked up expectantly at the man across from her, years of experience allowing her the patience needed to wait for his reply.

So now Roy was sitting across from the woman he loved, the same woman whose choice could very well break his over-guarded heart, contemplating the wisdom of his best friend.

"Sir?"

"If you're going to ask for advice about your love life, don't call me 'Sir'," It slipped out, the man still distracted by his comrade's earlier statement. An eerie stillness settled between the two. Abruptly, Hawkeye stood and cleared their lunches, her manner cold and business-like. "Riza?"

"Sir, just because you are my superior doesn't mean you can use my name." Hawkeye finished clearing the meal before busying herself with work.

For the second time in ten minutes, the colonel had been left speechless by his comrade, and truth be told, he was rather tired of it. Standing, Roy made his way over to his lieutenant's desk. "Riza." No response. "Riza, please." Nothing. "Lieutenant Hawkeye!" The woman looked up, her face carefully expressionless.

"Yes, Sir?"

"Ah…nothing." Hawkeye turned back to her work, steadily ignoring Roy. Inwardly, he sighed. He knew it was probably better if she ended up with someone else, but Hughes hadn't lost hi touch. Roy knew his friend was right again; he'd kick himself for years if he didn't at least _tell_ her. Bracing himself, Roy leaned down and kissed her cheek. Nothing much, just a brush, a feathering really. Before Riza could react, the colonel turned and moved back to his desk, trying not to think about how horribly wrong the day had gone.

-

Still at her desk, Riza was struggling desperately to keep a smile from her face. She was supposed to be angry with him; he'd been…probably stunned stupid. Riza Hawkeye was no fool; for all the colonel's antics, she knew she had his heart, had for years. But for him to get to the top, Roy couldn't be hers, not yet.

Finally, a small smile slipped through as Riza glanced over at her superior. _Sorry Havoc, but I'm taken…_

_-_

Carefully, Jean Havoc backed away from the door and hurried back down the hall. Taking the phone from Fuery, the lieutenant grinned. "It worked!"

"You doubted me? I'm wounded." The lieutenant laughed at the mock-pain in the lieutenant colonel's voice.

"No Sir, no doubts, just…thought it would take more than that."

"You did doubt me! Lieutenant, what am I going to do? This cannot go unpunished."

Havoc sighed. "Fine, I'll look after Elycia this weekend; but _no pictures!_" Hughes laughter echoed from the other end of the line.

"Alright, that's-" The lieutenant colonel was interrupted by the sound of yelling from around the corner. "Gotta go, the harpy's getting on my case again for personal calls. But really, this can hardly be considered one."

"True, this is the most impersonal thing ever, prying into someone's personal life." Laughter echoed down the line again as the elder man signed off. Havoc's grin widened as he hung up the phone at his end.

"You do know if we get caught we're going to be in so much trouble?" asked a small voice next to him. Spinning around, Havoc threw an arm around Fuery as he stirred the smaller man towards the nearest exit.

"If, my dear sergeant-major, if. It's a lovely word, don't you think?" Laughing good-naturedly, the man squeezed his friend's shoulders lightly, mind already outside. Man, did he need a smoke.

_fin_

A/N: There we go, 42 stories and another category. I feel accomplished…of course, that could be because I have…finally posted something…/hides/


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